Cake Cake Balls

It happened last week. On a Monday. I went into my thrice yearly visit to Trader Joes, where I usually stock up and buy the family favorites in dry and frozen foods. 

So, this visit I begin like any other, happily, in the produce aisle. Uneventful and I even pass up the sample station as I move to the calming white glow of the dairy aisle. As I leave the Coffee station with an already half half filled cart, and turn onto my favorite-- the frozen food aisle, I get a bit nervous. 

There I was, cruising up and down, getting the things we need -- frozen mac & cheese, rice dishes, and then all of a sudden I noticed it -- or the lack of it --- it was not there.  It was no where to be seen.  

I immediately panic.  This has happened before.  I know the drill, this is no drill.  This is not going to be good. I went over and I grabbed the Trader Joe's man in the brightly colored Hawaiian shirt and I uncontrollably blurted at him: "Where are my Cake Cake Balls?" 

The man looked at me slightly confused. But, then, after a few beats he realized what was angering me and immesiately got a consoling look. "Oh, you mean the Danish pancakes?"

"Yes, where are my Cake Cake Balls?"

Notice how I do not relent on the proper name of the item?  And I consistently refer to them as mine?  This is the sign of a person in panic. 

The man sat, trying to decide how to give me the bad news, for a good 10 seconds.  He has done this before, I could tell, I am not the only one with a strange attachment to this frozen food.  I think he can tell too, that I already know the answer.  This is what he is thinking about.  How is this "Cake Cake Ball" lady going to react?  Is she going to cry?  Yell? Make a scene?  Something abnormal is going to happen, because she clearly is way too invested in this.

So, he just comes right out and says it, no apology, no nothing.  Just rips the bandaid. "Discontinued."

And, I actually scream in the middle of the frozen food section.  Legit scream.  He jumps, and everyone turns.  People come from other aisles.  I go on and on.  I buy 10 bags of these things three times per year.  My sons eat them at least twice a week.  They are a staple.  I tell other people about them.  They can't be discontinued, everyone loves them.

"Mam, they have been gone for a few months now."

"You mean there are none in the back I can grab from you?  Some sitting in a store 30 miles away?"

"Mam, you can make them, I can help you find the ingredients."

"Have you ever tried to make them?  At 7:45am when the bus is coming in 10 minutes?  Do you know they require a special pan?  Do you sell the special pan?  I have friends who introduced us to the special pan.  They come over and THEY make them for us as she is Danish and she has the talent.  You have to be talented to know when to flip the ball."

No joke, I went on and on about the expertise and cleaning needed when making Abelskievers (Cake Cake Balls) from scratch.

"I'm sorry, Mam."

"You did this to me once before with the Baignan Bhartha."

"Excuse me, what now?"

"The Indian eggplant dish.  You just ripped it away one day without any warning.  I still longingly look in the Indian frozen food section hoping you will bring it back, but no."

"You can write a letter."

"Oh, I will."  (then I calm) - "Sorry, I know it is not your fault.  Who is going to tell my boys?!"

I finish my shopping trip.  Deciding what I may need to stock pile on for their next heartless cut of my favorite product, and the entire check out process goes very similar to the situation above.  Everyone suggests I make them myself.

Haven't told the boys yet.  Went in the freezer and found three cake cake balls in the blue bag hiding in the back.  We will make an event out of it, and one night - with a bottle of wine, I will make 500 cake cake balls from the pan which takes talent and I will freeze those suckers.  And you know what else?  I won't need to drive 30 minutes to Trader Joes to get them either.

Strawberry Picking - Trying to Get Mom Time In

This summer has started, and already I missed three days with my Joelly while he had Ama and Grumpy time.  He was able to go to Watch Hill, RI and do a few other fun things too - like movies, and Legoland.  I got him back last night, worked late, and then today was our time.  And, of course we added Ms. Laurel because she is the best!

It was going to be easy, and necessary for me, to just let the gang play while I packed and got ready for the big weekend ahead.  I will be staying in three different hotels in three different cities the next three nights.  But,. instead of that, I took the kids to strawberry pick - and we made Jam.

My patience was great (for me) as I gave everyone a turn mashing the strawberries and putting the sugar in the pot.  I was like Martha Stewart of playdates.  It was awesome.

And, I'm supposed to leave here in 25 minutes... And haven't packed yet.

But, next week when I am all alone, as the boys will be up in Maine going to Camp.  I will be missing them and I will be glad that we got out and did an activity.  I will force myself to have these activity days, and I will rest when not working the other time.  Need to take some steps back from working - but I guess that will be after the DC loan is done.

In the meantime, enjoy pictures of a beautiful sunny morning in Hampton Falls - strawberry picking with the boy's best pal.

Cooker Man Classes

James didn't really get to do anything "afterschool" in this last year of preschool.  He didn't like dance, and quit.

So, when the local supermarket offered a cooking class - and my boys love to watch cooking shows - I thought we had to be in.

The first one we went to, James sliced onions, and cried.  This was months ago, and he still talks about how onions make his eyes itch.

The second one we made a pizza that was not so desirable, but there was hummus involved and he loved it.

The third one which was about two weeks ago now - we had a good time.  He loved that he had "his class" and it was something to do with Mommy and have fun.  Sure, he freaked me out when he used the knife, but hey - he did a pretty good job otherwise.

And, he will never forget about what the "guiding stars" are in the Hannafords.

So, good job, Hannafords.

James' Preschool Graduation

Well, there wasn't really one.  I knew this going in, when we made the big switch up to this "fancy" preschool this year.  This preschool - on the Academy's campus, really encourages, and gets many of its students to go to Kindergarten there, too - because Exeter is still half day.  So, they do not do a graduation for preschool as many just go on, and instead they do a nice end of the year art show - which was really lovely.  Except, I was so in love with Joel Andrew's preschool graduation from Kids Stop that I couldn't not do anything for James.

So we took my college graduation cap and went to PEA Campus and took some photos yesterday morning, on his last day of school.  I'm really bummed because the school's vice-principal, and a member of my museum's board - walked right by us as we were driving away. I should have gotten out and forced him to take a pic with James.  He actually would have loved that, missed opportunity.

So today my littlest love is no longer a preschooler.  He has Mrs. Middleton for Kindergarten.  I am kinda devastated.  I was a mess yesterday and was so sad to leave the PEA preschool place.  Just walking into that place it is so bright and sunny.  Sometimes when I left him there he was building a puzzle quietly at a table and the smell of cinnamon toast was wafting in the air.  He did things like go to the big gym at PEA, dance recitals for the school, my museum.  They cooked in their classroom, and James drew, and drew and drew.  I have lots of drawings to go through now.

It was a good experience for him and for us, and walking to school with him (most days) after unlocking the Tavern together.  Hold hands, crossing the street, counting the horses on the drive in, I will miss that part of my morning routine.  I will miss my guy.

But life moves on and I guess I will love putting two boys on the bus, and not having a second drop off, etc.  I am hoping that their loving, caring, go at your own pace structure too will be ok with James' transition to Kindergarten, which I am worried about in the Fall... Joel was fine, Joel will be fine (and we even had some hiccups).  James....  We will see.

We love you buddy, you free spirit, not always processing directions, loving and caring little guy.

Tooth Fairy

Joel Andrew is now completely toothless.  Well, not completely - but he is missing his top two front teeth and his side two bottom teeth.

For a few days - what seemed like weeks there - one of the top teeth hung on.  It was like a snaggle tooth.  He would wiggle it with his tongue and gross us all out.  Both Husband and I would try to grab it with our hands unannounced and yank it.  Nothing.

Then we left for college reunion, and I knew it was only a matter of time.  We prepped Joel Andrew.

"Did you know the Tooth Fairy asks the parents each time she comes, how much to give?"

Joel Andrew: "No."

"Yep, so when we are not here if your tooth falls out you need to tell Nana and Pa how much they should tell the tooth fairy to bring."

"Ok, how much?"

"100 dollars."

Fast forward and we get a toothless photo of Joel Andrew.  Then we get a phone call from Nana - "100 dollars!!!!?!?!??!?!?"

He got the most he will ever get for any tooth, $20.  A little ridiculous.  But still a good prank.

Bed Time Reading

Wake up, get two kids and a dog off to their respective schools.  Go to work and have meeting after meeting and intern looking for things to do and stairs that are still not built, and donor who wants to give you a large piece of questionable furniture, and mailing that needs to go out and grant that needs to be written.

Then pick up kid and dog from respective schools and remember you have no food and go to the store quickly to buy dinner. Come home and check the mail, make the dinner, clean the dinner, and pack the lunches for the next few days for all.  Send kids up to bed while doing dishes and starting to think about evening tasks.  Open a bottle of wine and sit on the couch to catch 5 minutes of Extra.

And a child appears at the top of the stairs.

What?

Will you read a book with me?

About to sip your wine.  And you think.  NO!  And then you say.  Yes.

Walk upstairs and have your almost 7 year old read you a book.  Perfectly.  He is amazing and ahead and smart and he wanted to read with me.  Give him a kiss while he is reading.  Enjoy the story together.  Then he asks for a second story.

And you tuck him in.

Write down this memory.

And go drink the wine.

James is 5

A bit in the making - the crazy, loving, sometimes emotional, always sensitive - boy named James just turned 5 years old.

Ok so it was almost a month ago, but I am finding it hard to keep up with everything!  We have about 10 back up posts that I have drafted and need to catch up on.  June should be a big month for the blog, here. But now - more about James.

Best smile, handsome and tan guy.  Our James is growing into quite a young little man.  He is still lego obsessed, and still calls the lego directions "constructions."  He is still a sweet, sweet boy and will get tremendously upset if he thinks I am upset.  He is a Mommy's little guy and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Don't try to play Candyland with him though, because if he is not winning then he is crying.  Sore loser is not the word.  I am hoping he grows out of this, it is quite the dramatic nature.  He has also taken to be defeated when he feels he is in last place and will repeat "I'm so stupid" through tears.  Which makes me both angry and want to cry at the same time.  I am guessing this is the 4 year old leftover and I hope it will go away soon.

He will pick out excellent clothes to wear to school each day, his favorite shirt a bright yellow tennis ball color which he matches with the same color shorts.  When we go out and he needs to be handsome, he will still wear a tie - though reluctantly.

He loves Star Wars, anything Star Wars and will tell you all about Star Wars if you ask him.  He loves Chebacca, and he and his brother will play Star Wars for hours outside which is awesome.

His favorite friend is still Bubba, seconded by Sven - and he has a friend entourage that is second to none.  If we go anywhere he wants a stuffed animal. He loves stuffed animals and I am worried about what we are going to do with all of them.

He is a loving little guy - and he is ending preschool which is amazing to me.  He is going to Kindergarten.  I am pretty sure he is going to rock it - but his teachers are also going to be challenged.  His preschool didn't really let omn too much - but we already knew.  He has a hard time sitting still on someone else's program.  If he wants to build a puzzle, or build a lego, or watch a specific TV show - he will, no problem.  But ask him to sit for Circle when it's not really his thing, and problem.  Here's hoping we can work with him this summer to really prep him for success in the fall.

He is a good guy.  And a great dancer.  If I could pick what he would be when he grows up, I would say likely a Gronkowski.  Or maybe and Architect that likes the salsa dance in the evening.  Either way, I will always make him take me out to dinner.  And, I will try to let him win at CandyLand (though that is really hard to do!).